-ecillo

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Spanish

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Form of -cillo, rebracketed from words ending in -e.

Suffix

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-ecillo m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ecillos)

  1. Alternative form of -cillo; added to masculine nouns to form diminutives
    pan (bread) + ‎-ecillo → ‎panecillo (small (piece of) bread)
    cuerpo (body) + ‎-ecillo → ‎cuerpecillo (small body)
    pez (fish) + ‎-ecillo → ‎pececillo (small fish)
    can (dog; bracket (architecture); modillion) + ‎-ecillo → ‎canecillo (bracket (architecture); modillion)

Usage notes

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  • If the noun has a final vowel (usually -o), it is dropped before adding -ecillo.
  • In most cases, -ecillo is used simply to indicate a small or endeared thing, without changing the basic meaning of the noun; however, in some cases, it is used to effect a greater change in meaning.

Derived terms

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See also

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Further reading

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